The Town of Atkinson was named to honor Col. Theodore Atkinson who owned a large tract of land on Providence Hill.  Colonel Atkinson had been a commander of some renown during the French and Indian wars and served as collector of customs at Portsmouth.  In 1748, he was appointed Secretary of the New Hampshire Colony, a position he received through his uncle, the Governor.  Although he never lived in Atkinson, his estate, known as the Atkinson Farm, was attended by a caretaker who would annually, send the Colonel a wild turkey as payment of his rent of the property. Linda Jette